


The Wizards Gambit

by WhistlingBanshee



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Castling, Chess, Chessmaster Ron, En Passant, Gen, Grand Wizard Master, Harry Learns Chess, Humour, I had to learn so much bloody chess to write this, I've added in links to the games I've blatently borrowed, Im running out of chess things, Inspired by The Queen's Gambit, Learning to play, Minor Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Minor Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Minor Seamus Finnigan/Dean Thomas, Relationships are not at all relevant to this story, Skewer, Smart Harry, The Queens Gambit - Freeform, Wizarding Chessmaster Harry, Wizarding Wars (Harry Potter), but - Freeform, chess.com, craic fic, so if you're a nerd, teacher!Ron, wizarding chess, you can read and follow along at the same time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:53:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28794234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhistlingBanshee/pseuds/WhistlingBanshee
Summary: Harry accidently gets good at chess after playing Ron for 6 years. Pity he doesn't even notice.All the chess matches are real and linked in the fic for you to follow along for context since, as it turns out, writing chess is bloody difficult!
Comments: 4
Kudos: 71





	1. Dutch Defense to Fools Mate

**1st Year - Dutch Defence to Fools Mate**

“Checkmate!”

“But it’s only been three moves!” Harry gazed in astonishment as his little black pawns started to pack up and return to their initial places. He had thought he was doing well. His pawn had brutally beheaded Ron’s bishop in the last move leaving Harry feeling momentarily smug. But that had only cleared the way for Ron’s white queen to slide into h5, trapping Harry’s king.

“You don’t want to clear an opening to your king like that.” Ron said absently, straightening out his rooks. “Your queen has nowhere to escape to.”

“Oh...” Harry said, studying the board again.

“Yeah, see your f and g pawns?” Ron pointed to the two quivering pawns in front of the queen’s side bishop and knight. “If you move them too quick it’s easy to capture the king. That’s how you can tell a rookie player.”

Harry scowled back at Ron’s smirking face.

“Fine, go again then.”

“If you’re sure.” Ron turned the board. “You’re white this time. We swap each game.”  
Harry nodded, thought for a moment before determinedly moving a pawn that was as far from the queen as possible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.chess.com/article/view/fastest-chess-checkmates#dutch
> 
> It's true. Its easy to spot a rookie by how they play their pawns! Just so you know, I have had the fools mate used against me multiple times. I have never once successfully pulled it off against someone else...


	2. The Importance of Castling

**2 nd year - The importance of Castling.**

Harry stared intently at the board. He was doing quite well. His knight and queen were on the attack. Ron’s untouched black King was trapped, penned in by Harry’s white queen on d5. If Harry could just move his knight to f7 on his next turn he’d be on the home straight, attacking both Ron’s rook and King in the one move. Harry tried to smother his smug grin. 

After a moment of thought, Ron picked up his king and queenside rook and swapped them over, placing each on the c1 and d1 tiles respectively. 

Harry was shocked. 

“What the hell was that!?” 

Ron looked at him confused. “I castled?” 

“You can’t move two pieces at once?” Harry spluttered, “That’s like the _only_ rule of chess!” 

“You can if it’s castling?” Ron replied, as though Harry ought to know this already. “If you haven’t moved the king or the rook yet in the game, then you can castle. So swap them, like this.” Ron castled again, slower this time. “Or if you did it kingside, they’d go here and here.” 

Ron quickly replaced his King and Rook to c1 and d1 and frowned at the board again. 

Harry was still staring in shock. His whole ‘take him with the f7 Knight’ plan was now in tatters. If anything, he was on the defense again from Ron’s stupid castled rook. 

“Fine. But next time I’m bringing a bloody rulebook...”, he muttered and shoved a lowly pawn up the board. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.chess.com/article/view/how-to-castle-in-chess
> 
> I like castling. Though I always seem to screw myself over whenever I try... It seem's like a thing Ron would do.


	3. The Scheme in the Skewer.

**3 rd Year – The Scheme in the Skewer.**

“Well that’s not good.” 

“Yeah, you’re kinda screwed there, mate.” 

Harry looked down at the board. He didn’t even know how he had gotten into this position. He hadn’t been losing that badly. He’d already taken out one of Ron’s bishops and a handful of pawns. He was down a knight and a rook but otherwise holding his own quite well. His king was standing guard in front of his queen. However, looming over them both from 3 squares up was Ron’s black rook. 

“Check, by the way.”, said Ron. 

“Yeah, no kidding...” Harry scowled and glared at the board. “Right well, regardless I’m going to be down a queen here right?” 

“Pretty much. I mean, I’m sacrificing my rook to take it if that makes you feel any better?” 

It didn’t. 

“Well, best get this over with.” Harry moved his King one square to the left, out of check. Ron picked up Harrys Queen before his Rook could annihilate it. Harry was tempted to let his Queen batter Ron’s Rook out of spite. He didn’t. 

**“** It’s called a Skewer I think...”, Ron said, as he studied the board again. “When the pieces line up like that.” 

“Make sense”, muttered Harry in reply, looking longingly at his lost queen by Ron's elbow. “Felt like you were jousting me and I’ll I could do was duck out of the way...” 

Ron snorted a laugh and kicked Harry under the table. “Come on, you’re turn.” 

“...no point without my Queen is there... teasing me like a pig for slaughter.” Harry grumbled, moving a pawn at random. 

“That’s chess mate. You get used to it.” Ron said, taking the pawn Harry had just pushed forward. 

“Oh for Merlin’s sake!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Skewer_(chess)
> 
> We are now at the limit of my Chess knowledge! The chapters get longer from here as since Harry now knows all the rules of chess. 
> 
> Well... Almost all the rules...


	4. Passing on En Passant

**4 th Year – Passing on En Passant.**

**“** Hey Ron?” Harry was curled up in an armchair by the fire, leafing through the chess book Hermione had gotten him for Christmas. He wasn’t really sure why Hermione had gotten him a book about chess. It’s not like he had ever shown any interest to learning chess outside of losing to Ron most evenings. Harry supposed she had run out of quidditch books to give him. 

Ron was laid out on the floor. His history of magic notes sprawled around him not as though they were serving any purpose. Most of Ron’s essay seemed to be coming from Hermione, who was sitting on the couch behind him dictating the Ghoul Revival of the 1470’s while absentmindedly stroking Crookshanks.

“Hey Ron?” Harry asked again. “What’s ‘En Passant’?” 

Ron’s head snapped up. “No.” he said in an angry defiance. 

Harry frowned in confusion. “What? What did I do?” 

Ron shifted in his seat to glare at Hermione. “You had to get him the stupid chess book didn’t you!?” 

Hermione put her hands in the air and fixed Ron with an equal glare. “Next to Quidditch it’s his favourite hobby! What else was I supposed to get him!?” 

“Wait!” Harry said, getting side-tracked by Hermione’s words. “Chess isn’t my second favourite hobby?” 

“Oh, come on Harry. You and Ron play almost every evening.” 

“Yeah, I also do homework and detention most evenings, I don’t count them as hobbies.” 

Hermione shrugged, and turned back to petting Crookshanks. “If you say so Harry.”, she said blithely, clearly putting an end to the conversation. 

Harry wanted to keep arguing. Chess wasn’t his second favourite hobby. You were supposed to like hobbies. Quidditch was his hobby. He liked Quidditch. He was good at Quidditch. That was a hobby. 

He was shit at chess. And he did not enjoy repeatedly losing to Ron. 

But Hermione had lost herself in petting Crookshanks. “It's not my second favourite hobby...” he muttered. Hermione just smiled. 

Harry turned back to Ron. “So, what’s wrong with ‘En Passant’?” Harry asked again. 

“It’s a dumb rule that shouldn’t be a rule and you’re not playing it.” Ron growled. 

“Why?” 

“Go learn it in your chess book.” 

Harry looked down at his book again. Even with the moving diagrams couldn’t quite understand what was happening. He got that it was something to do with taking the pawns but there seemed to be a step missing that didn’t follow any of the rules of chess. 

“Eugh fine!” Ron said, seeing Harry’s puzzled face. “Go get the board, I’ll show you.” 

“Well! If we’re all done with History homework I’ll be going to bed. Goodnight all!” Hermione scooped up Crookshanks and headed towards the girls’ dormitories. 

“No Hermione wait!” Ron called after her, but she didn’t look back. Ron turned to glare at Harry. “You’re helping me finish the essay.” 

“Fine! I’ll help if you show me the move.” Harry accio’d the chess board from the shelf of the bookcase and set up the pieces in front of a still grumbling Ron. 

“Right.” Ron said, putting the pieces on the board with a little more force than necessary. “’En Passant’ is when a pawn takes another pawn from behind if he moves two squares instead of one.” 

“That makes no sense...” 

“Yeah, because it’s a dumb rule. Move that pawn up two squares.” 

Harry followed Rons directions until one of his pawns was the 5th row, two rows away from Ron’s pawn line. 

“So here, if I was to move this pawn two steps up...” Ron moved the pawn in the adjacent column to Harry’s. (‘ _File’_ Harry thought to himself. _The book said columns are files and rows are ranks)_ “... It’s like he’s trying to sneak by you. So, you can cut him off and take him.” Ron moved Harrys pawn to the spot where Ron’s pawn would have been had it moved one square instead of two. 

“... Wait... So pawns can take each other by moving to the square behind them?” 

“No.” Ron replied, scowling at the board as though it was personally offending him. “You can take a pawn like that _only_ if it is after taking its first two move turn and you’re already in position to cut him off.” 

“But I thought pawns couldn’t move diagonally?” 

“They can’t.” 

“And I thought you could only take pieces if you landed on the same square as them?” 

“That’s right.” 

“But this move is a pawn moving diagonally to a space behind the piece you are supposed to be taking?” 

“That’s why it’s a dumb rule.” Ron said blandly, clearing away the chess board. 

“It’s exactly the opposite to all other chess rules...” said Harry. 

“Yeah. It’s a dumb rule. And you’re not allowed to use it.” 

Harry stared at Ron. “When on earth would I think to use that?” 

“You’re not allowed.” 

“Ron, the conditions for me to be able to use that move are incredibly specific and even then, when would it be a tactical advantage?” 

“Just... No.” Ron said defiantly, pointing a finger at Harry. “Now. You help me with this since you scared away Hermione with all your chess talk.” 

“Yeah fine.” Harry said glumly, sitting down beside Ron and picking up some notes on the 1470 Ghoul Rebellion. 

His mind drifted back to the ‘En Passant’. He could probably use it in a match. Certainly in one of the openers. It would be a good way to block off the queen, hem her in while the knight tries to fork from the left... 

_No!_ Harry shook the thought from his head. _Chess is not my second favorite hobby..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.wikiwand.com/en/En_passant
> 
> For the record, En Passant is a dumb, albeit sometimes useful rule... Though it did take me playing my friend 6 times while I was writing this before I actually understood what was happening. 
> 
> And then it got me so frustrated, I made Ron hate it also. 
> 
> By the way, NOW Harry knows all the rules of chess. And so do you! Congratulations!


	5. The Stalemate

**5 th Year** \- **The Stalemate**

“I SAID NO PASSANTING!” Ron’s angry cry was met by an equally frustrated one from Harry. 

“WHAT ELSE WAS I SUPPOSED TO DO!?” 

The rest of the Gryffindors lounged out in front of the fireplace, each with some OWL book or another open in front of them. 

“Should we stop them?” Dean asked, idly stroking Seamus’s hair on his lap. 

“You’re joking?” said Neville who was getting quizzed by Pavarti on the use of colour changing charms. “Last time someone interrupted one of their matches, Ron cursed their trousers shut and Harry hexed them with an uncontrollable sneezing spell.” 

“Oh yeah... I was wondering why that third year was hopping around the corridor...” Lavender muttered quietly. 

“YOU COULD HAVE TAKEN MY ROOK?” 

“AND LEAVE MY BISHOP UNPROTECTED, ARE YOU THICK?” 

“Still, they’re really bringing down the mood of the common room.” Lavender continued. 

“I dunno.” said Seamus. “Loudly yelling about the unfairness of unimportant things is exactly what I'd rather be doing than studying for these damned OWLs.” 

Dean chuckled as Seamus dropped his transfiguration book back onto his face. 

“PROTECTED FROM WHAT, THERES NOTHING ATTACKING HIM?” 

“NOT YET, BUT IF YOU MOVE THAT KNIGHT TO WHERE I THINK YOU’RE GOING TO HE’S GOING TO NEED THE BACK UP!” 

“They really take the chess thing seriously don’t they?” Neville said, looking over at Harry and Ron who were on their feet pointing angrily at the chess board in front of them. 

“They’ve been playing together almost every week since first year.” Pavarti noted. “It’s like their thing. Sure, everyone knows not to go near that table after 7pm.” 

“Honestly, it’s a right nightmare in the dorms. Either they both come up laughing or they come up looking as though it’s a miracle they both survived the experience.” Dean glanced over at the two. 

“YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M GOING TO DO WITH MY KNIGHT!” 

“YEAH WELL YOU’D BE A RIGHT IDIOT NOT TO GO FOR THE BISHOP AND YOU KNOW IT!” 

“I think tonight’s a murder night.” Dean sighed. 

Both Neville and Seamus groaned. 

“Murder night is bad then?” asked Lavender. 

“They spend the evening muttering complaints to each other about the moves they made. It’s basically this yelling but continuous and while the rest of us are trying to sleep.” 

“Charming.” said Lavender. “I suppose they’re pretty good then?” 

“They’re brilliant.” Neville replied. “I stopped understanding half the words they said around third year.” Seamus and Dean nodded. 

“Rons always been good at chess though, hasn’t he Hermione?” 

Hermione didn’t even glance up from the potions book she was studying. “If you’re referring to what happened in the Philosophers Stone tasks with McGonagall's giant chess set that none of you are supposed to know about and how Ron beat in under 20 moves then I can’t help you because I promised Professor Dumbledore I would never talk about it.” 

Seamus smirked back at the other girls. “See, flipping genius!” 

“YOU JUST WANT ME TO TAKE YOUR BISHOP TO FREE UP SPACE FOR YOUR KING!” 

“WHY WOULD I MOVE MY KING WHEN YOU WOULD ATTACK IT WITH YOUR QUEENSIDE ROOK?” 

“... I use the term genius loosely...” Seamus muttered, rubbing his ears from the noise that was deafening the common room. Younger students were beginning to make their way up to their dorms, shooting daggers at the two yelling 5th years under the window. 

“Have you ever played them?” Pavarti asked the boys, putting away her OWL texts. It seemed no other studying was going to get done that evening with the shouting match occurring in the corner. 

“Us? Merlin no!” Seamus laughed. “Are you joking? They’d crush us!” 

“We used to back in first year.” Neville mused. “I mean, it’s impossible to beat Ron but we were an even match for Harry before he learned the rules” 

“STOP GUESSING MY MOVES AND JUST PLAY THE GAME HARRY!” 

“I DON’T HAVE TO GUESS YOUR MOVES RON, THE BOARD IS RIGHT THERE!” 

“Oh yeah, I had forgotten about that! He used to be terrible at wizarding chess. He didn’t even know the pieces could move!” 

“So what? He just studied loads to try and beat Ron?” 

“No. He just kept playing Ron.” Dean said. “Picked it up I guess. I mean, you’re bound to learn something if you keep playing whatever sort of Wizarding Grandmaster Ron is. I still don’t think he’s ever beaten him though...” 

“Harry’s never beaten Ron?” Pavarti said, shocked. “But he still keeps playing him? For five years!?” 

Seamus stretched out on Deans lap. “Yeah well, you know Harry. Impossible odds, certain failure. Battling someone with skills way above his own? This is right up his street! 

Behind her potions book, Hermione let out a snort of laughter. 

“WELL IF I DO MOVE KNIGHT THEN THAT LEAVES YOU OPEN TO TAKE MY QUEEN AND BLOCK MY KING AND WE’RE AT A STALEMATE.” 

“OR YOU DONT MOVE THE KNIGHT, IN 3 MOVES YOU TAKE MY BISHOP AND WE’RE AT A STALEMATE ANYWAY.” 

“.... FINE LET’S CALL IT A STALEMATE THEN.” 

“FINE.” 

“FINE.” 

“Finally!” moaned Neville, flopping back onto the rug as Harry and Ron stalked upstairs, abandoning the chessboard on the table. “I don’t think my ears could have taken another Queens Gambit or whatever the hell it’s called.” 

The girls chuckled and gathered their school materials up off the ground. “I guess that’s our cue to go to bed too.” Pavarti said. “Night boys.” 

The three girls trooped towards the girls dormitories. Neville picked himself up from the floor and looked expectantly over to his two dorm mates. Seamus still had his head resting in Dean’s lap. Neither looked inclined to move. 

“You two not coming?” 

“It’s a murder night Neville.” said Dean. 

“Yeah... better we stay down here out of their way a bit to avoid the angry stale mate muttering.” added Seamus. 

“You’re going to make me deal with them alone!” 

Seamus and Dean both batted their best puppy eyes at their fellow Gryffindor. Seamus grabbed Dean’s hand just to prove a point. 

Neville groaned. “Eugh, it’s either a newlywed couple down here or an old married one up there. I need to find new roommates.” he said as he stalked towards the stairs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the only game of chess in the whole fic that isn't based on a real game I'm sorry! And I'm very sorry if you do actually play chess and this suddenly made no sense. I just wanted them to yell angrily at each other for a bit...


	6. A GrandMaster in the Making

The common room was deathly quiet. Not a sound, not a footstep. Even the shallow breathing had been muffled by a quietening spell cast over the entire common room. 

All the Gryffindors were huddled around the famed chess table below the window in the corner of the common room. 7 years of anxious Gryffindors watching intently at the battle raging in front of them. 

Harry and Ron sat silently across from each other, heads perched delicately on their knuckles and eyes fixed on the board. 

“That’s a Philidor Defence” Hermione heard a 3rd year mutter behind her as Ron used his white pawn to take Harrys black one. Harry didn’t even blink as his pawn was smashed to pieces in front of him. He simply moved his Bishop forward to take Ron's Knight. 

“He’s forcing Ron’s Queen into the board.” a 5th year muttered. “Brave to do this early in the game.” 

Hermione had no idea if it was a brave move or not. Bravery didn’t seem to come into it for Hermione. It was just a board game. Purely theoretical, no stakes or consequences. But from the atmosphere in the common room, it felt like Harry and Ron were battling to the death. 

Sure enough, Ron pulled his white queen into the board to take Harrys attacking Bishop. There was a small crash as marble pieces were once again scattered across the board. Harry used his wand to sweep them to the side and pushed forward his pawn to take another of Ron's. 

There was a quiet pause as Ron took a second to plan his next attack. Hermione could see it in his eyes, he wasn’t just planning the next move, but the next 5 or 10 moves. Playing each one out in his mind, predicting Harrys attack and counter and blunders. His eyes flitting across the board as he watched the imaginary pieces move and die and recover. 

After 5 seconds of total silence, Ron pushed his Bishop to c4 and put his head back on his hands. Playing the possible games in his head. 

Harry took longer to move than Ron. His eyes scanning the possible games laid out before him same as Ron’s did. Finally, picked up his knight and jumped it to f6. 

Hermione could have imagined it but she thought she saw the corner of Ron’s mouth quiver into the shadow of a smirk. It was gone as soon as she noticed it. 

“I think that was a mistake...” a 7th year breathed in her ear. Hermione gave him a puzzled look. “That Knights not doing anything to stop Ron’s Bishop.” 

Hermione looked back to the board where Ron had just finished moving his Queen to b3, backing up his Bishop. Hermione knew very little about chess but even she could see that Ron was on the attack. 

Harry froze, obviously seeing something she didn’t. She scanned the board trying to find what the boys could see. 

“Two moves...” smirked Ron. 

“Bite me.” Harry muttered back. 

There was a quiet ripple of laughter around the common room as people craned to see the ‘ _two moves’_ Ron was talking about. She heard a scratching quill and saw some second years copying down the board. She might have to borrow it later to see for herself. 

Harry’s brow was furrowed. He had obviously spotted Ron’s planned attack and was furiously thinking his way around a defence. It took a whole minute before Harry finally moved his Queen to the space in front of his King and let out a small smile. 

Ron frowned. “Lucky...” he muttered to the board. 

“Planning.” Harry replied smiling. 

“Does anyone have any idea what’s happening?” whispered Seamus. 

“Not a clue...” replied Neville. “But it feels clever, so shut up.” 

The next few moves seem to move quickly. Ron sured up his defences by pulling his Knight out of the line. Harry attempts to drive away Ron’s Bishop with his pawns but instead, Ron pulls his other Bishop to g5 on the far side of the board, now attacking Harry from both sides. 

Hermione looks and sees one of the pawns Harry was using to attack Ron’s Bishop sitting within taking distance. “ _He should take that pawn on his next move.”_ she thinks to herself. “ _He’d sacrifice his Bishop but it would free up his King...”_

Ron is also staring intently at Harrys two pawns, but instead of using the Bishop, he takes the b5 pawn with his Knight. As Hermione expected, Harry is quick to take the Knight with the other pawn but Ron takes it back with the unmoved Bishop. 

“ _Oh...”_ Hermione thinks to herself. “ _Oh, now he’s freed up his King, eliminated both of Harrys pawns AND put Harry in check with the Bishop! Oh that was clever Ronald!”_ Hermione cannot help the grin that slides onto her face. Ron is too focused on the game to notice. 

Ron doesn’t need to say check. He just smirks at Harry from across the table. Harry kicks him. 

After a few moments Harry moves his Knight to d7, blocking his Queen from check but Harry is already shaking his head. The rest of the common room still seem enthralled with the game. If there’s a loss on the horizon, only the two players have seen it. 

In a move Hermione hasn’t seen before, Ron swaps his King and Rook. The 7th year behind her chuckles and mutters “He’s fucked!” under his breath. 

“What’s that move?” Seamus calls to them 

“Castling.” Harry and Ron reply in unison, not looking up. 

Neville smacks Seamus across the back of the head. 

Hermione looks back at the 7th who answers her silent question. “Ron's on the attack now. He’s freed up his other Rook. Harry’s King is stuck behind a wall of pawns. If Ron can get his Rook on the back rank, there’s nowhere for Harry to go.” 

Hermione gazed at the board trying to translate the chess jargon to what is happening on the board. She could see that Harry’s King would be trapped but had no idea how Ron was going to get his Rook down the board without being taken. However, judging by the smirk on Ron’s face and the grimace on Harrys, both of them were already living the end of the game without needing it to be played on the board. 

“We could stop it here mate?” Ron said to Harry. “We know how it ends.” 

There was a muffled groan from the crowd. 

Harry looked up at the circle of eager faces surrounding him. Hermione could see him tossing up the options in his head. Hide from the crowd, or be another spectacle for people to enjoy. She knew he would rather hide, end the game there and not have to sit through a crowd of people watching him fail. Hiding was something he never got to do. Something he never had a choice in before. Something she knew Harry had always wanted to do since he learned what being Harry Potter meant to the Wizarding World. 

To not be the person everyone was looking at. 

Harry scowled. “No, let’s play it out. Better to give them the show. Let them see it for themselves rather than suffer through the speculations and questions.” 

Hermione couldn’t help but feel so proud of him. 

He turned determinedly towards the board. “Let’s get this done then.” 

The rest of the match was over in less than a minute. Both boys reaching over the board, moving and taking pieces seemingly at the same time. 

Harry moved his Rook beside his queen as Ron pushed his Rook forward to take Harry knight. Ron's Rook had barely touched the board before Harry grabbed it and replaced it with his own black Rook. Ron leant back down to his side of the board and moved his other Rook up beside his King as Harry pushed his Queen up a square. Ron’s Bishop, ( _the one Hermione would have sacrificed_ ) took Harrys Rook. But Ron didn’t even put the Bishop on the board, just handed the piece straight to Harry who moved his ‘mistake’ Knight in it’s place. 

Hermione couldn’t keep up. She had no idea who’s turn it was. The boys seemed to be playing simultaneously. As though they had played this exact game a thousand times before. She glanced around the room, half the common room (including Seamus and Neville) were staring at the pair, mouths hanging open in shock and awe. 

There was a small intake of breath as Ron pushed his Queen to the opposite side of the board. “ _Oh now I see the checkmate...”_ She thought to herself. Finally. 

Harry had no choice but to take Ron’s Queen with his Knight. Meaning now there was nothing blocking Ron's Rook to swoop to the back row, just as the 7th year had predicted. 

“ _Wait why can’t he move his queen...”_ Hermione thought to herself, and scanned the board trying to see what she missed. “ _Oh.. Oh the Bishop.”_ And sure enough, the Bishop Ron had moved on his 9th turn was sitting idly, untouched and forgotten on g5. “ _Oh that is so clever... You knew to cut him off from the beginning, you sly little weasel!”_

“Checkmate.” Ron smirked. 

Harry stuck his fingers up at Ron and grinned. 

“Blimey...” said Neville breathlessly. “That was bloody brilliant....” 

There was a murmur of agreement from the crowd and a small round of applause. Harry and Ron just looked at them confused. 

“It’s just chess Neville.” Ron said, staring at the crowd who were slowly filtering away chattering in groups about openings and castling. 

“I ain’t never seen chess played like that before...” Seamus said. 

“He’s right.” Hermione said, moving up towards the boys. “That was some really clever playing.” There was a small flutter in her stomach as she saw Ron's ears turn pink at the compliment. 

_Later in the boys dormitories._

“I shouldn’t have moved the Knight after you flanked your Bishop.” Harry murmured to his bedcurtains. 

“Queen to e7 would have been better” Ron's muffled voice replied from across the dorm. 

There was silence for a moment before Neville heard a fist hitting a pillow. “Fuck!” said Harry, “Then you wouldn’t have attacked with the Knight.” 

A soft chuckle came from Ron's bed. “Nope. That Queen to e7 was a good move though.” 

“I thought you were going to start taking material. You wouldn’t take the pawns.” 

“Harry, I’m an artist, not a butcher!” 

Neville heard a pillow being thrown at Ron's bed. 

“ALRIGHT!” Seamus yelled. Neville (and from what he could hear, the other three boys too) almost leapt from the bed in shock. “We get it, your both GrandChessWizards! Literally. Now can you please shut up so we can sleep!” 

“We’re not doing anything?” Ron said, poking his head out of the bed-hangings. Harry must have banged his head off the headboard because he peered out too, rubbing his temple. 

“You do this every evening.” Seamus said exasperated. “You come up, muttering about Bishop flanking's and Sicilian openings all bloody night, it’s a nightmare!” 

Harry and Ron looked at each other puzzled. “No we don’t” Ron said. “Harry can’t even play chess.” Harry nodded in agreement. 

Seamus looked scandalized. “You are joking!? Did you not see the game you just played in the common room!?” 

“Yeah but I lost? I always lose?” Harry said looking bewildered at his dorm mates. 

Ron nodded in agreement. “Yeah, he’s never beaten me and we’ve been playing forever?” 

Seamus glared at Ron and pointed at him. “You don’t get an opinion on this Weasley, your hardly objective!” Ron’s mouth may have well been charmed because his jaw clicked shut, stopping any retort from coming out. 

“I’m not good at chess.” Harry stated again. 

“Fine then. Play me.” Neville and Dean turned to Seamus in shock. 

“What?” Seamus said. “Harry’s only ever played Ron. Let him play some normal people to give him context. Play me.” 

“You’re funeral...” Dean smirked but accio’d the chess set from the common room. 

Harry glanced at Ron, who shrugged in reply before sitting down opposite Seamus. “White or black?” he asked. 

Dean snorted. “Oh that really won’t matter!” 

Seamus shrugged and took the white pieces. Once they were all set up, Seamus moved his f2 pawn forward one square. 

Neville saw Harry’s face twist in confusion. Behind him Ron laughed. 

“Its only been one move, how could he have gone wrong already?” Neville muttered Dean as Harry pushed his Kings pawn to e5. 

  
“Hell if I know...” Dean replied. “But it’s Seamus so I’m not surprised.” Seamus reached back and punched Dean in the shins. 

His hands floated over the board. It took a solid minute before Seamus finally picked up his g2 pawn and moved it two spaces up the board. 

Neville jumped as Ron broke into howls of laugher. “What? What did I do?” 

Harry was staring at Seamus in obvious confusion. “Checkmate.” he said. 

“WHAT!? BUT IT’S ONLY BEEN 2 TURNS! YOU’VE ONLY MOVED 1 PAWN!” 

Dean was staring down at the board. “Christ Seamus, you are really shit at chess...” 

“Oh, bugger off.” Seamus replied, still studying the board to try and find the checkmate. 

Harry sighed and moved his Queen to h4. “This hardly proves I’m good a chess. Anyone could have done that.” 

“Not half likely mate. I’d never have thought to attack so quickly.” Dean muttered. Neville was still staring at the board in horror. He had never seen a checkmate happen that fast and that brutally. Seamus certainly had no chess experience but for someone to call checkmate after only moving one of their pawns was just weirdly terrifying. And Harry still couldn’t see how good he was at playing the game. 

“Fine.” Neville said. “Would you believe us if you played someone who wasn’t Seamus?”   


“Are you offering?” Ron said grinning. 

“No. But I’ll be back in a sec.” Neville ducked out of the dorm and came back two minutes later with Hermione on his heels. 

Both Ron and Harry froze at the sight of her. 

Hermione smiled politely. “Are we playing chess then?” she said, with the same sickly sweetness that Umbridge had used the year before. She sat on the floor in the middle of the boys’ dorms and began setting up the pieces. Harry had leant over and was whispering fervently to Ron who was shaking his head in confusion. 

“Are they all terrifying wizard chess masters!?” Seamus whispered to Neville. 

“Hmm? Oh Merlin no. Hermione can’t play chess.” 

“Then why did you bring her up here!” 

“Because,” Neville whispered back, “Hermione is the smartest person Harry knows. Even if she can’t play chess, if Harry can beat Hermione at something then he’ll have no choice to admit he’s good.” 

“You’re an evil genius...” whispered Dean. “And besides, she’s bound to be a damn sight better than Seamus at any rate.” 

Seamus punched him. 

“White or black?” Hermione asked Harry, who was still looking at her in terror. 

“Erm...” he swallowed as Ron shoved him down to sit opposite her. “Black I suppose.” 

“Wonderful.” Hermione’s voice was still sickly sweet. If she wasn’t any good at chess, she was doing an excellent job of feigning confidence. “My move first then.” 

Hermione pushed forward her pawn. 

After 5 moves, the two players paused and studied the board. Ron sidled over to the other boys. 

“A queens pawn opening.” he muttered to the others. “A standard chess opening. I didn’t think Hermione knew much about chess but that’s a tactic move. She knows everything that woman...” 

Neville smiled slightly. Ron’s admiration of Hermione, however flawed it could be, was always a pleasure to watch. 

After a few more moves, Hermione’s white Queen and Bishop were guarding her King with her two Knights out on the board. Harrys black pieces almost mirrored them, with his Bishop guarding the King. 

Neville felt Ron wince as Hermione moved her knight to g5. “That’s right in the Bishops line!” he heard Ron mutter under his breath. 

Harry’s eyes flitted across the board. He took Hermione’s other Knight with his Bishop. Hermione frowned for a second before moving her Queen to e4, taking Harrys Bishop. 

Ron let out a barely audible groan. “She should have used the Knight, because now...”. Ron nodded to the board where Harry’s Bishop was thoroughly pummeling Hermione’s Knight that Ron had pointed out earlier. 

“Has she lost?” Neville whispered to Ron. 

“No... ” Ron said grimacing. “But she is now losing.” 

Harry moved his bishop down to check Hermione, but Hermione recovered, pushing her pawns into position and blocking the check, forcing Harry’s Bishop to retreat back up the board. 

“That was good!” hissed Seamus, and Ron nodded grinning. 

Hermione’s eyes were fixed on the board. None of her pieces were in immediate danger. Ron seemed to be muttering possible moves under his breath but Neville couldn’t understand what any of them meant let alone if they were helpful. 

After a breath, Hermione picked up her Rook and King and swapped them on the board. 

“Oh castling!” whispered Seamus, “That’s good right!?” 

“When you do it right...” Ron replied. “But all that’s done is corner her King. It wasn’t the best move....” Ron was scowling. 

Harry seemed to be thinking along the same tracks as Ron, he smiled slightly and picked up his Knight. In the next two moves he had used it to take Hermione’s Bishop. Hermione scowled and pushed her Queen right up to Harrys Rook. 

“She’s attacking.” Neville said. 

“She’s trying to.” 

“Will it work?” 

Ron was thoughtful for a moment. “If she’s brave...” 

Harry retracted his Knights to the d file, shielding his King. Hermione followed him, tucking her white Queen amidst Harrys black pieces but out of taking reach of any of them. 

Harry tapped his fingers on the side of the board. His eyes tracking over the board. After a minute, he castled kingside. 

This time, it was Hermione who smirked. A few sacrificed pawns later and Hermione's Bishop was sitting on the right side of the board, blocking in Harrys King. Ron sucked in a breath. 

“She’s trapped his King” Dean muttered softly. “She’s close right?” 

They looked over a Ron who nodded silently, his eyes fixed on the board. 

Harry was frowning. Instead of moving his King to safety as Neville would have done, Harry took a different route and Moved his Queen off the back line. 

With Harrys Queen now out of the way, Hermione pushed her white Queen forward to take Harrys c7 pawn. Harry quickly moved one of his Rooks right in front of Hermione’s Queen. 

“Don’t panic....” Neville heard Ron mutter frantically. “Don’t panic!” 

Hermione’s eyes were scanning the board, moving quickly between Harrys Rook and her endangered Queen. She bit her lip as she moved her Queen diagonally out of the way of the Rook and right next to Harrys Queen. 

Ron groaned. Neville could see a smirk forming on Harrys face. 

“She’s going to take his Queen!” Seamus whispered. 

“She’s not going to get the chance. Look.” 

Sure enough, Harry pushed his Rook down the center of the board, taking Hermione’s pawn and putting her in check. 

Hermione moved her King to the left as Harry retreated his Rook. Hermione leant over the board to take Harrys Queen but Harry stopped her. 

“Check.” he said softly, pointing to his Bishop on e5. 

“Christ, I didn’t even see that...” Hermione muttered and pulled her King to the back rank. 

Harry smiled. “Sorry.” He said, taking her Queen with his Bishop. 

“Oh...” Hermione said softly. “I’ve lost now haven’t I?” 

Harry nodded. “Shall we play it out anyway?” 

Hermione nodded. 

The end of the game was a massacre, Neville though. Harry’s Queen flew across the board, smashing Hermione’s white statues to smithereens. All Hermione could do was dance her little King out of check in every move. 

The game eventually ended with Hermione’s King trapped behind her own Rook and Pawn by Harrys black Rook. 

Hermione had 5 pieces left on the board. Harry had 9. 

“I just beat Hermione at something....” Harry said, staring wide eyed at the board. 

Hermione frowned at him. “Harry, you beat me at your defence against the Dark Arts OWL,” 

“Yeah but... I just beat you at something _clever!”_

Hermione rolled her eyes. “Well, where did I begin to lose then?” she asked, turning to Ron. 

“Knight to g5. 10th move.” Ron said glumly. 

“Yeah... You should have attacked with your Queen. Then you could have countered with the Bishop and still had your Kingside pawns as defence. And castling with all 3 pawns still in place wasn’t the best move either. You had yourself cornered by the end of the match.” Harry said absently. Ron turned to stare at him. Neville looked over to see Seamus, Hermione and Dean grinning broadly. 

“Holy shit... You’re good at chess...” Ron gaped. 

“Oh marvelous. Well if we’re all finally agreed on that, I’m off to bed.” Hermione gave Harry a smile. “Thanks for the game Harry, I learned loads. Goodnight.”. 

Hermione closed the Boys Dorm door behind her, leaving the three non-chess players still grinning at Harry and Ron. 

“So,” said Neville, turning to get into bed, leaving Harry and Ron staring wordlessly at the chessboard on the floor. “I guess that proves it then. Harry is a weird Grand Wizarding Chessmaster, only second to Ronald. I’m glad we had this talk.” Seamus and Dean agreed and both made their way to their own beds. 

“I beat Hermione...” Harry said blankly. Then suddenly he whipped his head up to Ron in a blind panic? “Ron, oh no, does this mean that chess is my second favourite hobby?” 

“Oh dear Merlin, I’ve created a monster....” muttered Ron. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are two games happening here. Well done for getting through them 
> 
> Harry and Ron's game is a verbatim borrowing of the Opera Game between the Chess Master Paul Morphy and two very strong amateurs (by that I just mean, not-masters) the German noble Karl II, Duke of Brunswick and the French aristocrat Comte Isouard de Vauvenargues. 
> 
> It's a very famous game of chess often used to teach others about the importance of rapid development and the importance of sacrifices. Hermione learns a lot by watching it. 
> 
> I had to watch the match 4 times to even begin to see its importance and even when I was writing this, I was leaning heavily on the wikipedia page to teach me what was happening. How the game was played (when there were pauses, thoughts, who spotted which move and when) are fictionalised because, and I cannot emphasis this enough, we are now waaay above my chess skill level!   
> However, the moves, mistakes and comments made on the game are all true. Because Wikipedia told me they were. 
> 
> The match and wiki page are here :: https://www.chess.com/games/view/765   
> https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Opera_Game   
> ***********************************  
> The game Harry and Hermione play is me playing against a computer that's triple my rank. It was the best way I could think emulate it. I can't find a way to link the match but below is the game if anyone is bothered/interested in playing it through. Though you will need to learn how to read chess...
> 
> 1\. d4 Nf6 2. e3 d5 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. Nf3 Be6 5. Bb5 Nd7 6. e4 dxe4 7. Nxe4 Bd5 8.  
> Qe2 e6 9. Bd2 {INACCURACY (+0.35)} ({(+1.32) The best move was} 9. O-O Be7 10.  
> c4 Bxe4 11. Qxe4 O-O 12. Bxc6 Nf6 13. Qe2 bxc6 14. Rd1 Qd6 15. c5 Qd7 16. Bf4  
> Bd8 17. h4 Qd5 18. b4 a5) 9... Be7 ± {INACCURACY (+1.66)} ({(+0.35) The best  
> move was} 9... a6 10. Bd3 Nb4 11. c4 Nxd3+ 12. Qxd3 Bxe4 13. Qxe4 c6 14. Bc3 Bd6  
> 15\. O-O O-O 16. Qe2 Re8 17. Rfe1 Qc7 18. h3 Rad8 19. a3 h6 20. Rad1) 10. Nfg5??  
> ∓ {BLUNDER (-4.09) Critical mistake.} ({(+1.66) The best move was} 10. c4 Bxe4  
> 11\. Qxe4 O-O 12. Bxc6 Nf6 13. Qc2 bxc6 14. b4 a5 15. bxa5 c5 16. dxc5 Nd7 17.  
> Rd1 Bxc5 18. O-O Qe7 19. a4 c6 20. Qe4 Rfd8 21. Qxc6) 10... Bxe4? {MISTAKE  
> (-1.72)} ({(-4.09) The best move was} 10... Nxd4 11. Bxd7+ Qxd7 12. Qd3 e5 13.  
> O-O-O f6 14. Be3 c5 15. Rhe1 O-O-O 16. c4 Bg8 17. Qa3 fxg5 18. Qxa7 Bxc4 19.  
> Nxc5 Bxc5 20. Qxc5+ Qc7 21. Qxc7+ Kxc7) 11. Qxe4? {MISTAKE (-4.25)} ({(-1.72)  
> The best move was} 11. Nxe4 Nxd4 12. Qd3 c5 13. Bxd7+ Qxd7 14. c3 Nf5 15. Qe2  
> O-O 16. O-O-O Rad8 17. g4 Nh4 18. Bf4 Qc6 19. Bg3 Rxd1+ 20. Rxd1 h6 21. Bxh4  
> Bxh4 22. Ng3 Bxg3 23. hxg3) 11... Bxg5 12. f4 Bh4+ 13. g3 Bf6 14. O-O-O  
> {INACCURACY (-5.44)} ({(-4.09) The best move was} 14. c3 a6 15. Ba4 O-O 16. Bc2  
> g6 17. O-O-O Bg7 18. g4 Ne7 19. h4 Nf6 20. Qe2 h5 21. gxh5 Nxh5 22. Kb1) 14...  
> Nxd4 15. c3? {MISTAKE (-9.32)} ({(-5.32) The best move was} 15. Bc4 Nb6 16. Bd3  
> Qd5 17. Qxd5 Nxd5 18. Kb1 O-O-O 19. g4 h6 20. Rhf1 Nc6 21. h3 Nb6 22. Be4 Be7  
> 23\. Bxc6 bxc6) 15... Nxb5 16. Qxb7 a6 17. Be3 Nd6 18. Qc6 O-O 19. g4 g5 20. b3  
> gxf4 21. Bxf4 Be5 22. Bh6 Re8 23. g5 Qe7 24. Qxc7 Rec8 25. Qxd6 Rxc3+ 26. Kb2  
> Rcc8+ 27. Kb1 Bxd6 28. Rxd6 Qxd6 29. g6 Qd3+ 30. Kb2 Qxg6 {FASTER MATE (♚ Mate  
> in 9)} ({(♚ Mate in 4) Checkmate after} 30... Rc2+ 31. Kb1 Rd2+ 32. Ka1 Qd4+ 33.  
> Kb1 Qb2#) 31. Bd2 Qc2+ 32. Ka1 Qxd2 33. Rb1 Qd4+ 34. Rb2 □ Rc1# 0-1


	7. Life is like a game of chess...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter. Right after the battle of Hogwarts.

**7 th year – Life is a game of Chess.**

The Gryffindor tower was scattered with dust and rubble. It had escaped the worst of the damage from the battle but the large, stained glass windows had been broken through. Shards of glass, brick and stone littered the common room floor like sand. The sofa where the trio had spent so many an evening was torn across the middle. The mirror over the fireplace was smashed and the curtains were swaying softly in the breeze from the smashed window. 

“Oh...” Hermione said softly. She was leaning heavily on Ron as they moved into the room. Harry and Ginny were close behind them. 

“It still looks the same...” Ginny muttered. She was right, Harry thought. Even through the dust and debris, it still looked like the Common Room. The red couch beside a crumbling fireplace. Bookcases with books torn and strewn across the floor. Two staircases leading to the dorms, though the stairs to the Boys Dorms seemed blocked by a fallen stone pillar. The sun was setting through the now empty window, same as it did every evening. 

Harry moved towards the fireplace as Ron and Hermione meandered their way to the bookshelves. The grate had been knocked over and the ashes blown over the carpet. He felt Ginny take his hand. 

“I spoke to Sirius here once...” Harry murmured to her, remembering Sirius’s head propped up in the flames. 

“Oh?” 

“Yeah, right before the First Task in the Triwizard tournament. He was trying to help me find a way to beat the dragon. Broke into a wizarding house just to talk to me...” Harry smiled sadly at the memory. “Professor Lupin too... They told me about my dad. Warned me to stay out of Umbridge’s way.” 

Ginny smiled and leaned into Harrys shoulder. “They loved you.” She said quietly. Harry squeezed her hand. 

“Hey Harry?” Ron called from across the room, “Fancy a game?” Ron was holding up their chessboard. 

“It survived the attack...” Harry said, staring at the battered box. 

“Must have. It was where we left it at the end of 6th year, on top of the bookcase.” 

Hermione cleared the rubble from the fireplace and Ginny used _reparo_ to fix the worst of the sofa. Harry sat opposite Ron with Ginny leaning on his knees. Hermione curled up at Ron’s side and closed her eyes. 

The two boys played quietly while Ginny and Hermione dozed beside them. 

“Kinda feels like the war doesn’t it, playing this.” Harry muttered to Ron. 

“That’s all war is Harry. Strategy, planning and trying to make the right moves at the right time.” 

Harry grimaced at the idea. He didn’t like the thought that Voldemort’s war was all just one big game, but he couldn’t help but feel like it. 

When he looked at the board, he didn’t see the pieces anymore. Just his friends, enemies. Harry and Tom Riddle as the two Kings and all the other pieces trying desperately to defend them, knowing in the end it wouldn’t matter. It would all come down to who caught the king. 

What did that make all his friends then? All the people Harry loved, who had to sacrifice themselves for the sake of the game? Dumbledore was the most powerful person Harry knew yet even he had fallen. The Queen was more powerful than the King in chess, but killing the Queen didn’t matter, the game still went on. 

And what did that make everyone else? Lupin, Tonks, Colin, Mad-Eye, Dobby, Fred.... Were they pawns or knights? How were they important? 

Harry heard his tears hitting the wood of the chessboard before he realised he was crying. 

Ron leaned it towards Harry. “It’s alright mate...” he said quietly. 

“I didn’t want it to be like chess.” Harry said, staring at the board. “I didn’t want people to die trying to defend me...” 

“I know mate...” Ron said. “Neither did I... But you can’t play the game without all the pieces Harry.” 

Harry looked up at him. 

“Every piece has a role. They’re all important. And when the game is tough, you understand the value of every piece. Sometimes... losing them is the only way to win.” 

“I didn’t want to lose any of them Ron... We shouldn’t have to sacrifice pieces just to win the stupid game...” 

“No” Ron agreed. “But that’s not how it works. Besides Harry, you walked into the forest, that’s the biggest Queens Gambit there is. You met him face on. You sacrificed yourself for us. Not many people would be brave enough to make that move Harry, even if it guaranteed a win.” 

Ron put a reassuring hand on Harrys knee and looked him in the eye. “I’m proud to be your friend Harry. I am always proud to be on your team, to be on the board with you. Whatever way the game plays out.” 

Harry looked at Ron. He could see the hurt still in his eyes from losing Fred, the exhaustion from so much running and hiding, the fear from the battle. 

But there was also pride there. And love. And hope. And so many other things. There was life. 

After all... even after the most brutal chess matches, there were always some pieces left on the board.

Harry could live with that. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! And suffering through some very tedious chess speak in a fanfiction story!
> 
> I had a lot of fun writing this! I can't believe my longest, most researched fic is a 7 chapter side story about chess... I don't even play chess...
> 
> But again, thank you for putting up with the butchered lingo! I hope you had fun!


End file.
